Pterostylis nutans
Common names
nodding greenhood orchid
Biostatus
Native
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Non-resident Native – Vagrant | Qualifiers: SO
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Orchids
Flower colours
Brown, Green
Detailed description
Terrestrial orchid forming colonies. Plants up to 300 mm tall. Stem internodes equal to or much larger than bracts. Rosette leaves 5–10 or more; petiole conspicuous, narrowly winged; leaf lamina 15–30 × 10–20 mm, light green to dark green, oblong-ovate, acute to subacute, margins unuldating or finely crenate. Cauline leaves 1–3, sheathing, bract-like. Flower solitary, usually close to but sometimes remote from subtending bract; top of stem and ovary strongly arched over so that flower faces downwards or even incurves toward stem. Dorsal sepal 25 mm tall, rounded, apex acute. Lateral sepals very shortly connate, diverging at narrow angle, apices acuminate and hardly overtopping galea, surface minutely rugulose. Petals more or less equal to dorsal sepal, acute. Labellum irritable, narrow-triangular, strongly arched, protruding, apex subacute, margins slight incurved, finely covered in bristly hairs. Column much shorter than labellum; stigma elliptic.
Similar taxa
A very distinctive species whose large nodding flowers immediately distinguish it from any other indigenous species. The narrowly-petiolate, oblong-ovate rosette leaves with undulating, crenate margins are also unique to this species.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand; North Island (recorded three times, originally from Pukemiro Hill near Kaitaia (between 1914 and 1920), from Castor Bay, Whangaparaoa Peninsula (1942) and most recently from Waihaha, Hauhangaroa Range in 1995). Also Australia (eastern).
Habitat
In New Zealand this species has been found growing in coastal shrublands, open clay ground and in dense podocarp forest on the margin of a walking track. In Australia is it widespread in a variety of early successional to climax community habitats.
Threats
Both Kaitaia and Castor Bay populations were probably wiped out by botanists (certainly the Kaitaia population was collected from repeatedly until there were no plants left). However, this species is insect-pollinated, and the insect vectors responsible for successful pollination are not present in New Zealand. It is for this reason that it is listed as a vagrant, for without human intervention it would be unlikely to form and set viable seed.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Pterostylis matthewsii Cheeseman
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
July–October
Fruiting
September–February
Propagation technique
This species is easily cutlivated. Indeed plants of Australian origin are held by several orchid specialists in the country. Although it requires a specific insect pollination vector, it can be hand pollinated and it also spreads asexually through natural division of its tubers. Because of its wide cultivation in many parts of the country reports of wild occurrences need to be critically examined as people have been known to deliberately plant this species into the wild in the mistaken belief that they are helping save it from extinction.
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Etymology
pterostylis: Winged column
nutans: Drooping
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Non-resident Native – Vagrant | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Non-resident Native – Vagrant | Qualifiers: SO
2009 | Non-resident Native – Vagrant | Qualifiers: SO
2004 | Non-resident Native – Vagrant
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Extirpated | Qualifiers: EW, SO
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Moore LB, Edgar E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 354 p.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 April 2007: Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Pterostylis nutans Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pterostylis-nutans/ (Date website was queried)